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MIND YOUR Ps AND Qs
THERE ARE FEW OF US WHO HAVE NOT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER BEEN
ADMONISHED TO “MIND OUR Ps AND Qs,” OR IN OTHER WORDS, TO BE-
HAVE OUR BEST.
ODDLY ENOUGH, “MIND YOUR Ps AND Qs” HAD NAU-
TICAL BEGINNINGS AS A METHOD OF KEEPING BOOKS ON THE WATER-
FRONT.
IN THE DAYS OF SAIL WHEN SAILORS WERE PAID PITTANCE, SEAMEN
DRANK THEIR ALE IN TAVERNS WHOSE KEEPERS WERE WILLING TO EX-
TEND CREDIT UNTIL PAYDAY.
SINCE MANY SALTS WERE ILLITERATE,
KEEPERS KEPT A TALLY OF PINTS AND QUARTS CONSUMED BY EACH
SAILOR ON A CHALKBOARD BEHIND THE BAR.
NEXT TO EACH PERSON’S
NAME , A MARK WAS MADE UNDER “P” FOR PINT OR “Q” FOR QUART
WHENEVER A SEAMAN ORDERED ANOTHER DRAUGHT.
ON PAYDAY, EACH SEAMAN WAS LIABLE FOR EACH MARK NEXT TO HIS
NAME, SO HE WAS FORCED TO “MIND HIS Ps AND Qs” OR GET INTO
FINANCIAL TROUBLE.
TO ENSURE AN ACCURATE COUNT BY UNSCRUPULOUS
KEEPERS, SAILORS HAD TO KEEP THEIR WITS AND REMAIN SOMEWHAT
SOBER.
SOBRIETY USUALLY ENSURED GOOD BEHAVIOR; HENCE, THE
MEANING OF “MIND YOUR Ps AND Qs."
10-13
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